accident
by Trouble321
Summary: if anyone's still interested....the end.
1. 1

"Max!" Logan cried frantically into his headset. His only reply was gunfire. "Max!"  
  
"Not now!" Max whispered. She heard his sigh of relief clearly, she wanted to slap him, this was the third time he'd given her poor information. According to Logan's source there would only be four lightly armed guards. After taking out three guards armed with M-16's she knew she was in trouble.  
  
"Damn it Max! Get the hell out of there! We can get the information some other way!"  
  
"Not now!" Max whispered through gritted teeth. She was hidden behind a small stack of crates in an open room with six guys and automatic weapons. If she could just make it into the next room she could get the information and leave, it so better be worth all this trouble.  
  
Max grabbed a piece of metal and threw it across the large warehouse. Luckily the guards weren't so bright, they all took off to investigate giving Max ample time to slip into the backroom.  
  
"Logan." Max frantically typed away at the terminal. "This hunk of shit has no disk drives! I hope you didn't expect me to read everything you need!"  
  
"I didn't expect any of this. Can you just bring me the CPU?  
  
"You've got to be kidding!" Max's temper flared.  
  
"Alright, look just grab the hard drive."  
  
  
  
Max ripped the cover off and not so gracefully removed the hard drive. She then crept back to the door and opened it a crack looking out she didn't see any guards. Finally I get a break! She thought as she made her way to the front of the warehouse.  
  
Logan listened to the silence. Straining to hear something-anything. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a red flashing light. Looking he saw the upper right corner of his cordless phone was blinking, he had turned off the ringer so it wouldn't distract him, or worse, Max. Before he thought about what he was doing he grabbed the phone off its cradle and brought it to his ear. As soon as it got close to the headset Logan was wearing it made a horrible high pitched squelch.  
  
Max screamed and dropped to one knee as her earpiece screamed in her ear. Her sensitive hearing making the sound unbearable. She was struggling to get the ear piece out as the guards came flying around the crates she was hiding behind. Seeing them just in time she took cover as they open fired. There were too many guns to try and take out the guards so she decided to just bold for the door. Her vision blurred a little and she felt a slight tremor pas through her but she had no time, and simply dismissed it. Clutching the motherboard she took off in a blur of movement toward the door-twenty feet away. Bullets were flying all around her, there were no windows to jump through and she very well couldn't stop to open the door. So she did the only thing she could think of, a flying kick.  
  
The door was solid. Max hit it at full transgenic speed the seemed to win, Max's knee buckled and her whole body slammed into the door. That was the extra force needed, the door, and Max, hit the ground. Pain shot through her shoulder, she just blocked it out and jumped on her bike practically flying off into the safety of the shadows.  
  
  
  
As she raced through the streets she felt the first drops of freezing rain begin to fall. She slowed as the frozen rain pounded her face. That's when she felt it, her hand was shaking. Her mind raced, she didn't have any tryptophen on her and the communicator was gone, probable in pieces on the floor of the warehouse. She had to make it back to Logan's before it got too bad. Ignoring the stinging on her face she pushed her bike up to 200 mph and prayed. 


	2. 2

"God damn it!" Logan shouted, dropping the phone. When the screeching stopped there was only gunfire to be heard. "Max! Answer me Max!"  
  
The gunfire stopped and he could hear the muffled voices of the guards. He could only make out a few words but al in all they didn't sound happy. He took a deep breath and disconnected the signal.  
  
"Hello? Hello? Come on man, say something."  
  
Logan looked around for the phone. Seeing it under his desk he scooped it up, "Yeah?"  
  
"Logan man what the hell's going on over there?" It was Alec. "Is Max okay?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Logan rubbed the bridge of his nose .  
  
"What do you mean? You were just yelling for her, and ya sounded pretty worried."  
  
"She went out to get some information for me, but something went wrong."  
  
"Where." Alec demanded. 


	3. 3

Alec grabbed his gun and tucked it in his waistband before flying out of his apartment. He looked around the street for a can that looked like it would run. Seeing an old beat up Chevy he rushed over to it and quickly hotwired it then drove off as fast as it would go in the direction he thought Max would be heading. As he flew through the streets a large part of him hopped to see Max fly by on her bike, but something deep down told him something was very wrong. He was cursing the car for having no heat when he saw what looked to be a recent accident.  
  
Stepping out of the car Alec carefully moved over to the pile of twisted metal that had once been a motorcycle. It was covered in a thick layer of ice, but judging by how hard it had been raining he figured the accident to be about 15 minutes old. He didn't see Max as he scanned the street and the ally beside the building the bike had hit. He wanted to believe that Max was on foot, heading back to Logan's but he knew that not even they could walk away from an accident like that, especially since she never wore a helmet. So he moved back into the ally looking for where she could have landed. About ten feet back there was a stack of boxes with a small hand protruding from them. As soon as he got closer he noticed that her hand was shiny, that it was covered in ice. Panicked Alec started throwing boxes to the side.  
  
When the last box was off he stood and looked down at Max. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She was laying slightly on her side allowing him to see the shredded jacket and pants and the bright red road rash beneath covering her entire back along with her right arm and leg. There was a bullet wound to her left shoulder. The entire left side of her face was covered with blood and she was extremely pale. She didn't look like she was breathing, she was dead. Alec shook himself and went into solider mode. He moved to Max's side and checked for a pulse, he felt nothing, nothing but ice cold skin. Then just as he was about to stand up he felt something. He waited for what seemed like forever then he felt it again. It was weak but she had a pulse.  
  
He stood and scooped Max up carefully making his way over ice covered ground to the waiting car. Gently as he could he placed her in the back seat. It wasn't until then that he noticed she was holding onto what looked to him like a piece of junk. When he tried to take it away from her she tightened her grip on it. "Alright Maxie, you can keep it." Alec removed his jacked and covered her the best he could before moving to the front seat. 


	4. 4

Logan was pacing his living room when Alec kicked the door open.  
  
"What the hell?" Logan yelled then stopped in his tracks when he saw Max's pale, limp form in his arms. His eyes immediately teared up and his whole body grew heavy. "No."  
  
"Get some blankets." Alec barked as he shoved past Logan and placed Max on the sofa.  
  
"What happened?" Logan called as he retrieved the blankets from the closet. He moved behind Alec and looked down at Mex. The dark blood covering her face made her appear even paler than she was. Her lips were blue and she was starting to shake. He tapped Alec on the shoulder, "Here, she's shivering."  
  
Hypothermia had set in before Alec had found her. There was no heat in the car and no matter how fast they can heal the elevator ride wasn't long enough for her body temperature to increase enough to begin shivering.  
  
"Shit!" Alec shouted as it dawned on him what was going on. "She's seizing!"  
  
"What? How can you tell?"  
  
"Once your body temperature drops so far you stop shivering. Max past that point a long time ago, it doesn't matter, just trust me." Alec sounded frustrated. "She probably seized while she was on her way back, I bet that's why she wrecked."  
  
Logan jumped up and ran back to the bathroom and emptied the medicine cabinet. It wasn't there. Shit Logan thought where the hell did I put it? He ran into his bedroom and ransacked his drawers.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Alec shouted, he was having a hard time holding Max still.  
  
Logan finally emerged from his room with a syringe and a small glass bottle of liquid. He fumbled with the needle as he pulled the clear liquid up into it.  
  
"What do you think your doing?" Alec looked skeptically at Logan.  
  
"It's liquid Tryptophen. I got it the last time she had a really bad seizure, I thought it might come in handy. It's a little more then double the strength of the pills, plus it will work faster since it is injected."  
  
Alec snatched the needle from the older man and in one swift movement he injected Max through the shredded part of her jacket sleeve.  
  
"You ass!" Logan yelled at Alec.  
  
"Back off. She's a solider, she can handle it." Alec felt her begin to calm down, he relaxed his grip and when he was sure she would be alright he jumped up and got in Logan's face. "You're not the only one that care's about her."  
  
Logan watched as Alec stormed off to the kitchen before retreating to his office. Picking up the phone he began to dial the now all too familiar number of Dr. Carr. Before he got half way through dialing Alec snatched the phone from his hands.  
  
"What are you doing?" Alec looked confused.  
  
"She needs a doctor." Logan was tired of justifying himself to Alec. "I'm calling Dr. Carr, he's taken care of her before, we trust him."  
  
"I can take care of her."  
  
"I don't care how much field medical training you've had. This is beyond your knowledge. She's got head trauma for God's sake!"  
  
"What is your doctor going to do?" Alec said with is usual 'I know everything' attitude. "He can't take her to a hospital, all he can do is remove the bullet, stitch her up, and dress her wounds. All of which I can do. Save your money."  
  
"If you hurt her." Logan followed Alec into the kitchen.  
  
"Here," Alec pulled the gun from his waistband and shoved it in Logan's hand. He stared the older man down, his eyes full of anger. "Are you really so blind to think that I would hurt her? Get over yourself! She's a solider, she doesn't need to be treated with kid gloves! Granted what I've got to do is going to hurt like hell but she can deal with it."  
  
"She's not a solider anymore!" Logan shouted when Alec turned his back on him.  
  
"No!" Alec spun around and got right in Logan's face. "No matter how hard she tries she will always be a solider. Some little part of her, deep inside can't let go. Manticore made sure of it. They've built it into our DNA!" Alec took a deep breath, calming himself before he continued. "Call your doctor if you want but she's bleeding for the shoulder again. I'm going to remove the bullet and stitch her up. If there's anything to do when he gets her I'll gladly let him do it."  
  
Logan lingered in the hall until he heard the metallic clank of the bullet as it fell into the glass bowl. He waited a bit longer, not wanting to see Alec dig around Max's shoulder. Finally he walked into his weight room where Alec had Max on the table he often sat on when he worked out.  
  
"When's your friend going to get here?" Alec didn't take his eyes from his stitch work.  
  
"He said he really couldn't do much." Logan grimaced as Alec pulled on the stitches. "You were right."  
  
"Bet that hurt."  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
"Look Logan. I'm sorry I jumped on your case earlier."  
  
"Don't be." Logan removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "How's she doing?"  
  
"Could be better. The bullet didn't hit anything important, believe it or not the head wound was more superficial than anything else."  
  
"But there was so much blood." Logan wrinkled his forehead.  
  
"Here look." Alec lifted Max's hair to expose a fifteen inch, neatly stitched, cut starting above her left eyebrow and extending straight back her head. "There's a lot of blood vessels in the scalp that's why it bleed so much. The road rash is bad. We're going to have to put her in the shower to get it cleaned up."  
  
"I know you can handle her wrath but I'm a mere mortal." Logan held up his hands in defense.  
  
"I won't let her kill you." Alec flashed a cocky grin before he face took on more serious features. "I'm really going to need your help. Her left hand's frost bitten, warm water will make it worse."  
  
"What are you going to do for that?" Logan asked.  
  
"One thing at a time." Alec peeled the final layer of clothing off Max. He saw Logan stiffen but wasn't sure if it was because she was naked or because of how battered and bruised she was. Alec was so concerned about her welfare that he wouldn't have noticed if she had a third nipple.  
  
Alec picked her up with ease while Logan ran ahead to start the water. Alec placed her in the tub and while Logan supported her and kept her hand from under the spray Alec quickly washed the dirt and gravel from the deep scrapes. Finally the two men applied an antiseptic ointment and clean bandages before dressing her in a pair of Logan's sweats and a tee shirt.  
  
"What about her hand?" Logan whispered as Alec placed her on the guest bed.  
  
"I'm not doing anything for the hand, it will heal itself once she gets some more blood."  
  
"More blood? What are you talking about?"  
  
"There's been too much damage done, along with too much blood lost. Her body's not able to heal all the damage."  
  
"Why didn't you say so sooner! I could have given her blood while you were fixing her up!"  
  
"Your blood won't cut it." Alec didn't look at the other man as he prepared Max and himself for the blood transfusion. "If she's going to pull through this she needs X series blood. If I had given it to her earlier then I wouldn't have been able to fix her up. She's lost a lot of blood, I won't be good for anything after the transfusion."  
  
"Oh." Logan found himself at a loss for words.  
  
"I'm going to need you to shut this thing off. Say in an hour?" Alec directed casually as he inserted the butterfly needle into Max's arm then the other into his. He then hooked the tubing to his IV port and waited until the dark red blood reached the other side before connecting it to Max. The last thing he need was to kill her with an air bubble. He looked at her, checking for any signs something was wrong. She was so pale. Logan had no idea how bad she really was. It still could be too late, he should have moved faster, been more efficient. But he would have to worry later, if there is a need. Now he was ready to pass out himself. He pulled a blanket up over Max before lying down next to her.  
  
"Don't forget to unhook us. If you do you'll kill us both."  
  
Logan sighed deeply and turned out the light. He saw something in Alec that he suspected no one else had seen. Concern, genuine concern, not to mention love. That's what scared him. Shutting the door he looked at the clock, three am. Sitting at his computer he set it to an alarm would sound at four before going to work on how such misinformation could get past him.  
  
The phone rang startling Logan from his work, "Yeah."  
  
"Logan?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Have you seen Max? Boo said she'd meet Original Cindy at Crash hours ago." Original Cindy sounded a little drunk and very concerned.  
  
"Um, she's in the other room." Logan didn't want to worry her unnecessarily.  
  
"I knew you were like that." Original Cindy slurred.  
  
"Cindy we were never.." Logan stopped mid sentence when the computer started beeping, "I need to go."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"I'll tell you tomorrow."  
  
"You'll tell Original Cindy now or."  
  
"Fine. If I don't stop the blood transfusion someone could die." Logan regretted saying it the moment he finished, "Shit, Cindy everyone is fine. Max will call you in the morning."  
  
Logan hung up before O.C. could process the information. Opening the door and flipping on the light he half expected to see Max sitting up in the bed. She wasn't but her color was much better, Alec was out cold. He quickly disconnected the two then covered Alec. Part of him was jealous as he backed out of the room. Even thought the situation was serious Alec was doing something he might never be able to do, get close to Max. 


	5. 5

Alec opened his eyes to the harsh light of day. Groaning he closed them and tried to figure out where he was. Slowly the night came back to him, well at least I know why I'm so tired he thought. He opened his eyes again, squinting until he got used to the light. The first thing he saw was Logan sleeping in the chair at the foot of the bed. That's a little weird. Why would he be that concerned about me?  
  
Then it clicked in his head-Max. He bolted up in bed and looked down next to him. She was there, and she didn't appear to have moved. He shook her lightly, she didn't wake up.  
  
"Logan!" Alec shouted as he jumped out of bed.  
  
Logan practically fell from his chair, he looked at the bed then to Alec standing next to Max checking her pulse. "Oh thank God! I thought I killed you!"  
  
"You worry too much."  
  
"Alec, you've been out for over a day!"  
  
"Please tell me Max's been up. She should have been up before me."  
  
Alec met Logan's gaze only to have him look down at the floor. Alec sat on the bed next to Max, he was too late. He didn't act fast enough.  
  
"Carr couldn't explain it, he said other than the obvious he didn't see anything wrong." Logan's voice cracked. "He said it wasn't my fault. But. I really thought I'd killed you both."  
  
"It wasn't you." Alec looked up, tears in his eyes. "I knew how bad she was. I should have worked faster."  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
Logan and Alec whipped around to see OC standing in the door. Neither of them had heard her come in. She looked again at Max's till form then to Alec's tears. She couldn't move, she couldn't say anything. Tears were falling before either man could react to her presence.  
  
"O.C." Alec jumped up and moved closer only to have her back away.  
  
"No." She turned and moved toward the living room, Alec and Logan in tow.  
  
"Cindy please." Logan tried to explain.  
  
"Don't you Cindy me! She's dead and no one bothered to tell me!" O.C. shouted. "You told me she was okay! That she would call me in the morning! How long? Huh?! Original Cindy didn't even get to say good bye."  
  
O.C. sunk down against the wall crying. Alec stooped down in front of her. "She isn't dead."  
  
  
  
"Who's not dead?" Max asked, her voice so weak it was merely a whisper.  
  
The trio turned to see Max leaning against the bedroom door. Alec rushed over just in time to catch her as her legs gave out.  
  
"You need to be in bed." Alec smiled as a fresh batch of tears rolled down his face.  
  
"You were being loud enough to wake the dead." Max stifled a cry when Alec placed her on the bed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"How are you feeling?" Logan asked, careful not to get to close.  
  
"I can't believe you just asked me that." Max started to drift off to sleep again.  
  
"Oh no you don't. You need to stay awake for a few more minutes." Alec said. He picked up her hands and compared them. The one was still not healed but the color was definitely improving. "Seriously how do you feel? More so, what hurts most?"  
  
"My whole body. What happened?"  
  
"It looks like you were shot then you wrecked your bike. You've got mad road rash, a cut on you head and various other cuts and bruises. Luckily you landed in a pile of trash."  
  
"You call that lucky?" Max questioned.  
  
"Well yeah, considering the one part of you not covered in boxes was covered in a thick layer of ice. If those boxes hadn't been there you would be dead.  
  
  
  
"Boo?" O.C. stood in the doorway.  
  
"O.C.?" Max's voice was full of concern as she sat up in bed. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I thought, I thought you were." She rushed over and hugged her friend.  
  
Max let her cry in her arms, that's who they thought was dead. Poor Cindy, how long has she thought I was dead? Why would they have told her that? Max thought. Cindy shifted and came in direct contact with the bullet wound. Max wasn't ready for it and cried out. Cindy jumped back, right into Alec.  
  
"Oh Boo."  
  
"It's okay. Really." Max lied. "I think I just need a little bit more sleep."  
  
"Max, I still need to." Alec started.  
  
"Oh no you don't." O.C. jumped up and started pushing the boys out. "My girl says she needs some rest so she's going to get it. If your not outta here in five seconds Original Cindy'll have to put the smack down on both y'all's ass'!"  
  
Max smiled at the thought of O.C. beating on Alec.  
  
"Just call if you need anything. Original Cindy will be out there keepin' the boys in line."  
  
"No, Normal'll fire both of us for missing time. No need for the both of us to be out of a job."  
  
"Don't worry. Alec is sure to do the right thing so all of us will keep our jobs." O.C. winked and pulled the door closed behind her.  
  
Max waited until she heard her friends footsteps fade away. Carefully she eased back onto the huge pile of pillows. She wasn't being a smart ass when she'd said she hurt everywhere. Her hand, shoulder, back, arms, legs, all made it impossible to be pain free wile lying down. Her stiff muscles made it just as painful to try and move as the injuries made it to lay there. She tried to stay awake; to work thought the fog in her head, but sleep soon consumed her.  
  
"You two better start explaining!" O.C. had her hands on her hips and looked extremely pissed off.  
  
"I didn't do anything wrong!" Alec held up his hands in defense.  
  
"Wait." Logan said stopping O.C. from slapping Alec. "He's right, it's my fault. I sent her out with bad information. I'm working on fixing that as we speak."  
  
"Damn straight." O.C. plopped on the sofa. "Why were you crying?"  
  
"I wasn't." Alec quipped.  
  
"Original Cindy knows what she saw."  
  
"I thought I failed her. From what I know she should have been up way before this." Alec rested his head on the back of the sofa and stared at the ceiling. "But when you showed up she hadn't even moved yet. I thought I was too late, that she would never wake up."  
  
"Wait. Why would you think that? What exactly is wrong with my Boo?"  
  
"She totaled her bike. From the looks of it she hit a building going at least 150, probably faster. She cracked her head and what I am worried about is basically that she may have sever brain damage."  
  
"Won't that fancy ass blood of hers fix her up?"  
  
"She lost so much, from the gun shot wound and form the accident there wasn't enough left to begin to fix her body. Think of it this way, right now you and her would have the exact same chances of getting better." 


	6. 6

*Author's Note: I've reloaded this chapter, I had been having trouble (no pun intended) uploading the chapter to Fanfiction.net and somewhere along the way I lost half of this chapter. So here is the ENTIRE chapter. Maybe now it will make more sense.  
  
Logan watched the two interact, he swore he saw O.C. pale at Alec's last words. She just sat there, staring at the floor for a moment before getting up and heading back to Max's room. Entering as quietly as she could O.C. moved next to Max's bed and stared down at her friend. Never before had she seen her look so vulnerable, so fragile. Sitting on the bed facing Max O.C. brushed a strand of hair from Max's face. Tears began to fall again as she realizes that, even though Max was alive she still might lose her. Alec said there could be brain damage, that could mean anything from temporary memory loss to mild retardation. Max could wake up a total stranger. O.C. shook herself from the depressing line of thought she found herself on and tried to dry her face.  
  
"You can beat this bitch Boo." O.C. whispered then she began to hum a song from her childhood. She didn't know the words but the melody had always brought a measure of comfort.  
  
Max wrinkled her forehead; O.C. stopped humming and watched her. She looked confused, or in pain, O.C. couldn't tell which until Max started to moan.  
  
"Max, it's okay. You safe here, your with friends." O.C. whispered while lightly rubbing Max's arm. Max jerked her arm away and started thrashing in her sleep, nearly knocking O.C. off the bed. "Max, come one sugga, wake up."  
  
Alec burst through the door just in time to see Max knock O.C. on the floor. He looked from a stunned OC to Max who appeared to be fighting someone in her sleep. He moved to Max's side to try and wake her only to have her punch him.  
  
"Arg!" Alec growled and jumped on the bed. Straddling Max and pinning her arms by her head he tried to hold her still and keep her from hurting anyone, including herself.  
  
"Alec! Get your fool ass off her!" O.C. yelled.  
  
"She's having a nightmare. If I don't hold her still she's going to hurt someone, and it's not going to be me."  
  
"What can I do?" O.C. asked quietly, knowing he was right.  
  
Before he could answer Max's eyes flew open to reveal a mixture of pain, anger, and fear. She had stopped moving for a second then in one swift move she threw Alec into Original Cindy causing them both to hit the floor. Jumping from the bed Max threw Alec off O.C. and stood in front of her in a protective manner.  
  
"Max." O.C. stood and lightly touched Max's shoulder.  
  
  
  
Max was startled and spun around so she could see both people, she was clearly confused.  
  
  
  
"Max, sweetheart, you need to get back in bed." Alec stepped closer to Max only to have her drop into a fighting stance. "Ah, come on. We're friends."  
  
  
  
Max made a low growling sound and narrowed her eyes, just waiting for him to move closer. As soon as he did Max attacked with a speed Alec had never seen, he actually had a difficult time keeping up with her.  
  
  
  
O.C. watched as Max attacked Alec, from what she could tell Alec had taken a few hits but never once had he it her back. But Alec was only human, and when Max landed another hit he grunted in pain and shoved her back into O.C. who easily caught her. Holding her tightly in a hug, she was breathing hard and staring down Alec, who wisely stayed where he was. When O.C. felt Max relax in her arms she released her. O.C. moved around so she could see Max's face, what she saw surprised her. She was giving Alec a look of pure hate then without warning her eyes rolled back in her head as she passed out.  
  
  
  
Alec blurred and scooped Max up before her knees had a chance to hit the floor. Placing her on the bed he swore under his breath, left the room and returned with a small white box.  
  
"Alec," O.C.'s voice was a little shaky, "what just happened?"  
  
  
  
"Nightmare." He answered plainly as he pulled some gauze and medical tape from the box.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"She reopened her should wound, see, the blood has seeped through the bandaging." Alec removed the old bandage and dabbed away the blood. He was glad to see she hadn't busted any of her stitches. Picking up the new bandage he placed it on her shoulder and applied a bit of pressure causing her to whimper in her sleep. "Sorry Max."  
  
Finishing he stood and covered her up before leaving the room followed closely by O.C. "How can you have a nightmare and be awake?"  
  
"Easy," Alec said grabbing a can of soda from Logan's fridge, "it's sorta like her body woke up but her mind was still in the nightmare."  
  
"Oh. That makes sense, like sleep walking, just more violent." O.C. didn't sound convincing. "You sure it has nothing to do with her hitting her head?"  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Alec took a sip of the soda. "I won't know anything for sure until she wakes up and talks to me."  
  
The two fell silent as Alec made himself a sandwich. He was about halfway through it when O.C. broke the silence.  
  
"Do you think it was about Manticore?"  
  
"Hard to tell. I heard they were close to each other when they were little. She could have thought you were on of her sisters." Alec's eyes grew darn and distant as he stared at some spot on the wall.  
  
"What are you thinking?" O.C. asked hesitantly.  
  
"Just some rumors I've heard. Dark stuff, I don't think you. . ."  
  
"Please." O.C. placed her hand on his arm and looked up at him. "I want to know."  
  
"You don't." Alec started but stopped when he looked down at her. She only wanted to help Max and she thought knowing would help. "The guards used to talk. I didn't understand at first but I remember when it happened. Shortly after Max and the gang escaped the majority of the guards were replaced. We thought it was because they didn't stop the escape but we kept hearing the word pedophile come up when the new guards would talk about the old ones. We never thought about what it meant, I mean it's not like we had access to dictionaries or anything back there. After a while they stopped talking. I never really thought about until just now. When I was sitting on her, holding her down. The pain, anger.fear in her eyes when she looked up at me."  
  
Alec's voice just faded away when O.C. realized what he was getting at. Her own voice came out barely more then a questioning whisper "You could be wrong?"  
  
"What? Oh," Alec draped his arm around O.C.'s shoulder and gave her a squeeze, "God I hope your right."  
  
With that he left her standing in the kitchen, his sandwich untouched. As he went to sit with Max, his mind wondered 'I bet that why she hated me when we first met. And it sure as hell would explain why she tried to kill me tonight, if she thought I was one of those guards. NO. Original Cindy is right, it might not be that, it could have been any number of Manticore demons. Or even something that happened after she escaped.'  
  
Alec's mind played over a million different scenarios before he fell asleep in the chair, clutching Max's hand. 


	7. 7

*Author's Note: I'm not really sure if anyone is still interested in this story but I found the rest of the original, handwritten, copy of the story and decided I'd type it up. If anyone is still reading it, sorry about the hugely long delay...  
  
"How's she doing?" Logan whispered.  
  
"Not so great." Alec sighed. "She's got a high fever, she's delirious, and she thinks she's in Manticore."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I just do." The void in her eyes when she opens them, stiff body language, her lack of speech.all too familiar. "I'm going to give her more blood."  
  
"Why? I mean you were out for two days last time!"  
  
"Damn it Logan, what the hell is going on with you?" Alec yelled as his dislike for Logan and the stress of the situation finally got the better of him. "You're being so fucking selfish! Stop thinking about yourself and put Max first! I'm giving her more blood because I think she needs it. I'm not planning on giving her as much this time, now either help or get the hell out!"  
  
Logan felt the anger rise as Alec attacked his integrity. He wanted nothing more then to pummel the young X5. Instead he turned and stormed to of the room leaving Alec to fend for himself. Stopping in his office first to copy down the address from his computer and grab his gun, Logan headed out of the apartment practically knocking down Original Cindy.  
  
"Hey!" She yelled, getting no response she turned and crept back to see Max. The door was open and when she looked in the dimly lit room she saw Alec sitting with his back to her. He wasn't moving, Original Cindy guessed he had fallen asleep. She moved into the room and sat on the bed next to Max.  
  
"Oh boo."  
  
"She's going to be fine." Alec interrupted Original Cindy causing her to jump. "I swear."  
  
"Original Cindy isn't one to argue, but my girl don't look so good."  
  
"I'm going to try one more time, give her more blood."  
  
"Do you think it will work?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Alec sighed. "But it's all I can do."  
  
"Well Original Cindy's here to help."  
  
"Normal will fire you if you don't get to work."  
  
"Normal can kiss Original Cindy's ass!" She stood and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Come back after work, and don't worry."  
  
"Alright boo." Original Cindy patted Alec on the shoulder as she headed out "Alright."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Original Cindy opened the door to the penthouse and was greeted by the pleasant smell of chicken.  
  
"Hey roller boy, Original Cindy knows you made enough for her 'cause she ain't leaving 'til." Original Cindy stopped when she entered the kitchen to find Alec. "Well hello."  
  
"Don't worry. I made plenty." Alec said over his shoulder. "Roller boy? They let you get away with that?"  
  
"No."  
  
Original Cindy leaned around Alec and stole a piece of the roasted chicken he was carving. "But the way he was frontin' when he left, figured he deserved it. Where is he anyway?"  
  
"Dunno, don't care either." Alec lightly smacked Original Cindy's hand when she came around for more.  
  
"How's Max?"  
  
"Better. The blood helped." He paused searching for the plates. Once he found them he began piling them with food. "I was worried for awhile. Her fever got worse, she was tossing and turning rather violently."  
  
"Violently?"  
  
"Yeah." Alec turned around to show Original Cindy his black eye before continuing. "Then she didn't move, barely could tell she was breathing. She stayed like that for over an hour." Alec looked around the kitchen some more.  
  
"Would you please hold still and tell Original Cindy exactly what is going on!" Original Cindy grabbed onto Alec's arm.  
  
"Here you take these," Alec handed her two plates before he picked up a thing, "and follow me."  
  
"She's awake!" Original Cindy practically squealed when she realized what Alec was saying.  
  
"Yes!" Max called out. "And I'm fine. We can all eat in the kitchen."  
  
"Sorry Maxie." Alec handed her a plate of food. "You aren't getting out of this bed for a while."  
  
"I don't see what the big deal is."  
  
"Girl you had us worried." Original Cindy said handing Alec his plate. "You even got Alec to cry."  
  
"What!" Max cried at the same time Alec yelled "HEY!"  
  
"The almighty Alec?" Max said, her mouth full of chicken. 'Hey this is really good."  
  
"Give a guy a break. I thought you were dead. And thank you."  
  
"Did Logan get the information he needed?" Max asked.  
  
"Um. I'm not sure. I don't really even know where he is." Alec picked at his food, avoiding Max's intense stare.  
  
"But where ever he was headed he was in a hurry. Boy almost knocked Original Cindy on her ass this morning trying to leave."  
  
"This morning?" Max put her plate down and started to climb out of bed. "He's in trouble, I've got to go find him."  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Alec jumped up and gently forced Max back in bed. "I'll go find him. After we eat."  
  
"But."  
  
"But nothing Max. Original Cindy, you're going to have to keep her here. And in bed."  
  
"That's fine with Original Cindy but you gotta promise to cook for us again."  
  
"Hey it's easy when you've got a kitchen like Logan's. Not to mention his food supply."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Tell me where Eyes Only is!" A large man with a heavy accent demanded.  
  
Logan looked up through his swollen eye. "I never met him. It's all set up through the net."  
  
"Wrong answer." The man punched Logan in the stomach. He then pulled Logan's gun out of his waste band. He looked it over once, cocked it, then aimed it at Logan's head. "Last chance."  
  
Logan coughed and shook his head. Two shots echoed through the warehouse....  
  
That's it for now folks. More to come next week (  
  
He he, I'm not that mean   
  
"Logan, Logan, Logan." Alec shook his head as he slowly made his way across the room. "You need to watch who you hang out with. These guys are hazardous to your health."  
  
Logan tried to catch his breath but was failing miserably. He was coughing and gagging while Alec untied him. When the last of the rope was removed Alec started to pull Logan to his feet.  
  
"Get off me." Logan finally said. "I don't need your help!"  
  
"Hey don't jump down my throat."  
  
"Why are you here?" Logan spat, more angry with himself for getting caught then anything else. "I was doing fine."  
  
"Doing fine? Man I don't know if you noticed or not but that guy was about to shoot you." Alec bounced along next to Logan. "Why didn't you ask for help?"  
  
"I tired but you were so busy."  
  
"Hey check the attitude! I was trying to save Max. Something you didn't seem too worried about!"  
  
Logan turned and punched Alec in the face as hard as he could. "Fuck you! You have no idea. I am here because of her, I cam to kill the son-of-a- bitch who did that to her!"  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Don't you see? It's my fault, all of it. It was my faulty information, my carelessness, that has her lying half dead in MY HOUSE!" Logan's face was turning red. "So I came to make it right."  
  
"Logan, my ban, revenge doesn't suit you." Alec draped his arm around Logan's shoulder and led him out of the warehouse. "Oh, and if I was you I would start thinking of a good story, 'cause if you tell Max what you were really doing she'll finish you off."  
  
"Don't toy with me Alec." Logan tossed ale's arm aside.  
  
"I'm serious man. If you play your cards right you might come out on top."  
  
"You're serious? She's awake?"  
  
"Yeah, I practically had to tie her down to the bed just to keep her from coming to save your ass."  
  
"She tried to come after me?"  
  
"Yes?" The look of confusion was clear as Alec looked at the older man. "Why wouldn't she?"  
  
"She was more then a little pissed last time I spoke to her."  
  
"She still is pissed but that doesn't mean she would leave you for dead." Alec climbed out of the car. "but that also doesn't mean she won't kill you herself when you tell her that her bike is in a million, non- salvageable pieces down in sector three."  
  
Alec would have laughed at Logan's terrified expression if the man wasn't so beaten up. They rode the elevator in silence, a long uncomfortable silence. Alec stepped of the elevator and reached for the door only for tit to be pulled from his hand by Max who didn't realize he was there and ran smack into Alec's chest.  
  
"Original Cindy told you it would be any time now." Original Cindy stood, hands on her hips yelling after Max. "Now get yo ass back in bed."  
  
"Where's Logan?" Max looked up at Alec, completely ignoring her friend.  
  
"Right here." Logan stepped out from behind Alec, his head down.  
  
"Oh my god Logan, what the hell happened to you?" Max looked at the various cuts and bruises marking his face. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."  
  
"Hey Original Cindy." Alec waved for Original Cindy to join him outside.  
  
"Max there's something I need to tell you." Logan said as they walked into the penthouse.  
  
Alec pulled Original Cindy out of the house and closed the door before Logan could deliver the news.  
  
"Come on you don't want to be here for this."  
  
"Boy you better let go. Original Cindy ain't leavin' until."  
  
"WHAT!" They hear Max clearly through the solid door.  
  
"Until she knows what's going on in there." Original Cindy finished.  
  
"Logan told ax her bike's demolished." Alec cringed as he heard something break inside.  
  
"Oh." Original Cindy's attitude a one-eighty as she realized the intensity of the situation. "So you up for drinks at Crash?"  
  
"Defiantly!" Alec said as they dashed for the elevator. Leaving Logan behind to fend for himself. 


End file.
